JOY to study LGBTI seniors

Melbourne LGBTI radio station JOY94.9 has received a $10,000 grant to research the needs of LGBTI seniors in the municipality of Yarra.

Yarra Council awarded JOY the grant as part of its annual community program to support local initiatives.

JOY president David McCarthy said the study will be led by JOY volunteer Andrew Thorp and conducted over 40 weeks from February next year.

“The study is a first for JOY and will seek to quantify the older GLBTI population within the City of Yarra and provide the Council with valuable information to assist them with the future for planning aged care services which are
sensitive and appropriate for our community,” McCarthy said in a statement.

“The project will target members of the GLTBI community aged 50 years and over, recognising the impending ‘baby boomer population bulge’ that will begin demanding health and community services in the short to medium term.”

The study will be conducted in partnership with Yarra Council, local LGTBI organisations, health and community service providers and GLBTI venues.

“I am very excited about this project because it builds on our recently established JOY Community Partnership Program and taps into our extensive networks, our 2,800 members and our listeners,” McCarthy said.

“Engagement with existing older GLBTI groups, in particular Matrix Guild, Vintage Men and Boilers Society will be critical to the success of the project.”

The station said it estimates, on a population basis, the area (which takes in Collingwood, Richmond, Fitzroy and Northcote) has 400 older LGTBI residents.

At JOY’s annual general meeting on Sunday, outgoing general manager Tass Mousaferiadis said the station would continue its push to start community initiatives outside of its usual broadcasting activities.

The station said regular updates on the study will be made available to JOY members and the community on-air and via the JOY website: www.joy.org.au